Rakuten Mobile Plans to Acquire Innoeye to Support Rakuten Communications Platform Launch

Rakuten Communications Platform offers telcos worldwide speedy and cost-efficient deployment of fully cloud-native network services

TOKYO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Rakuten Mobile, Inc., group company of Rakuten, Inc.(TOKYO:4755), a global leader in internet services, announced today that it plans to acquire Innoeye (Innoeye, LLC and Innoeye Technologies Pvt. Ltd.), an engineering technology solutions company headquartered in Virginia, USA. Rakuten Mobile has already deployed Innoeye’s converged OSS, an end-to-end platform process automation solution, to support the 4G/5G cloud platform for its network launch in Japan. Plans are also underway to rollout this technology and expertise as part of the new Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP) offering to be made available to telecom companies and other enterprise customers around the world.

Rakuten Communications Platform combines the technology blueprint and expert playbook of the world’s first cloud native mobile network of Rakuten Mobile and its world-class partners to offer telecom companies and enterprises a way to easily build and deploy fully cloud native network services at speed and low-cost.

Rakuten Communications Platform contains all the elements of the Rakuten Mobile network, including telco applications and software from multiple vendors, OSS and BSS systems handling customer billing and activation systems, in addition to edge computing and virtual network management functions. Rakuten Communications Platform will be made available with an app-store-like interface where customers can tailor the platform to their local requirements.

“Since we first envisioned the launch of Rakuten Mobile two years ago, we have also planned to bring to market our own expertise and technology stack as a unique service that will enable operators around the world to deploy fully cloud-native telco networks of the future,” said Tareq Amin, Representative Director, Executive Vice President and CTO of Rakuten Mobile. “With the planned acquisition of Innoeye, we are one step closer to closing the circle in bringing to market a carrier grade telco cloud product that is as simple as click, purchase and deploy.”

“Innoeye is delighted by the opportunity to become part of the Rakuten Mobile family,” said Rajeev Gupta, CEO of Innoeye. “Joining hands with Rakuten Mobile will provide us with unique ability to contribute towards this large industry movement and create a highly innovative cloud-based communication platform that is open, scalable and highly secure. Rakuten Communications Platform will disrupt the industry and pave the way for the next level of innovation. We look forward to being a part of this journey.”

Rakuten Communications Platform (RCP) Overview

Key Characteristics:

A Next Generation “Operator Enabling Platform” that is –

1. Cloud native
2. Shared-infra-oriented
3. Automation-fueled
4. Open-source-driven

Components

• RCP Cluster: Innovative edge and central computing hardware solution built for both Telco and IT workloads offers full cloud native solution (containerization)
  • One of the most impactful hardware enablers of cloud business: Just 1 server SKU for all network elements
  • Enables creation of low latency, local processing use cases (e.g. heavy real-time analytics, complex AR/VR rendering)
  • Lower cost using Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) hardware offers up to 40% CAPEX savings

• RCP Functions (vRAN and Core): Open, standardized, scalable software and hardware RAN and core network for a cloud native 5G network
  • Based on a web scale container architecture with suitable user plane traffic burst and control plane signal flooding
  • Integrated solution combining the hardware, software and orchestration that allows containers to unleash the full power of the underlying hardware – allowing your RAN to scale like IT applications
  • Disaggregation to containers can reduce CAPEX on RAN infrastructure equipment as well as enabling savings on OPEX with higher automation

• RCP Automator: Smart unified OSS/BSS with built-in AI operations ready to manage the entire network, service and customer lifecycle of a cloud native network – Plan, Build, Secure, Monitor, and Operate:
  • Pervasive automation and closed loop operations in each layer of the technology stack from the infrastructure and application layers to the management/orchestration of network services – which minimizes waste, manual steps and results in significant OPEX savings
  • Integrated service assurance and IT System Management (ITSM) modules facilitating 100% digitalization and automation at scale to relentlessly drive CAPEX/OPEX reductions for customer, service and network operations.

• RCP Concierge: Integration framework to facilitate secure, reliable and seamless client communication and integration of the customer backend services with RCP:
  • Provides APIs to import / export raw data for any systems that you choose not to have from RCP as a service
  • Proven standards e.g. TM Forum and Managed Extensibility Framework (MEF), services to integrate into existing core networks and systems
  • Adaptative framework used as an accelerator provides plugin and adaptor modules for seamless communication reducing by 30% the Time-To-Market

• RCP Marketplace: “App-store-like” interface offering easily accessible menu of latest updated Telco technologies and applications from multiple vendors:
  • Integrated single platform with apps to support the entire journey of cloud deployment and app suites management
  • “App-store-like” experience to buy and deploy services (e.g. QR payment, eBook, Over-The-Top (OTT), network, support, cloud training)
  • Partner onboarding portal for application partners to onboard and monetize their applications

About Rakuten Mobile

Rakuten Mobile, Inc. is a Rakuten Group company responsible for mobile communications, including mobile network operator (MNO) and mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) businesses, as well as ICT and energy. Through continuous innovation and the deployment of advanced technology, Rakuten Mobile aims to redefine expectations in the mobile communications industry in order to provide appealing and convenient services that respond to diverse customer needs.

Contacts

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Rakuten, Inc.

Corporate Communications Department

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